Mowing-machine.



A. GRIEVES.

MOWING MACHINE.

APPLIOAMON FILED 1120.22. 1913.

1,1 13,553. v Patented 001.13, 1914.

@MW by @-55% rIl() UNITED STAMFENT t OFFICE.

ALBERT GnIEvEs, on srnINGErELn, OHIO, AssIGNoRTo INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER COMPANY OE NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OE NEW JERSEY.

MOWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent, Patentedoct, 13, 1914, Application filed December 22, `1913. Serial No. 808,111.`

Springfield, in the county of Clark and- State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mowing-Ma-y chines, of which the following isa fully set forth.

clear, and eXact speciiication.

My Invention relates to mowing machines,

and particularly to the mechanism for ad justing the cutting mechanism from a higher to a lower plane in that class of such machines wherein` the cutter bar is hingejointed to a coupling frame which is `pivotally connected to the main frame of the machine in a manner to rise and fall in following the inequalities of the surface of the provide improved means whereby the lock-v ground, and wherein 'the cutter bar is designed to be adjusted from a horizontal or operative position to a substantially `vertical one by means of a common form of hand lever mounted upon the frame and op`eratively `connected with the coupling frame and finger bar by operating mechanism for the same.

It is usual in the above type` of machines to provide a connection between the hand lever and the clutch mechanism, forming part of the power transmitting means, whereby the action of thelatter is suspended when the cutter bar has reached a degree of elevation rendering any further operation of the cutting mechanism impractical.` In such constructions itl has been found, however,

that, due to vibration of the'parts and other causes, in lowering the cutter bar to oper` ative position by allowing the handlever to move forward, the cutter bar is often left at an unsafe angle when the clutch mechanism is operatively engaged, the result being the locking of the gear mechanism and dis connection of parts.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means whereby, when the hand lever ismoved forward for the purpose of allowing the finger bar to move froma vertical toward a horizontal position and the` clutch mechanism to engage operatively, the

coupling frame is locked from descending until the cutter bar hasassumedgan angle makingit safe to allow the cuttingapparatus to be operatively connected with the power transmitting mechanism.

A further object of this invention is to the finger bar adjusting means. t

. I attain these objects by the provision of improved toggle mechanism `controlledby the operating `lever in an improved manner and locking'and unlocking the parts in the desired sequence `as hereinafter more fully @ne embodimentwhichmy invention may assume in practice is shownfor ypurposes of illustrationin the accompanying drawings, inwhichv U Y Figure 1 is aside eleva-tionof parts of a mowing machine having my invention embodied in its construction; Fig. 2 isa front elevation of part of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detached lside elevation ofthe'inger bar adjusting mechanism on an f enlarged scale showing the coupling framein an elevated position. r i t Referring tothe drawings',` wherein like reference characters denotethe same parts throughout the several views, 1 represents `the main frame Of the machine, 2 a driving axle journaled therein, 3 one of the traction wheels, 4 a coupling frame having its stubbleward end pivotally connected with the main frame, 5 a coupling `yoke carried at the grassward end of the coupling frame and permittedv to rock axially thereon, 6 a shoe pivotally connected to they yoke `5., and 7 a finger bar secured to the shoe,vthe pivotal connection of the shoe with, the yoke permit`- ting the kfingerbar to ybe swung in a vertical plane fromra horizontal oroperativeposi tionto a substantially vertical one. A

8 represents ,a vertically disposedarm secured to the shoe 6, 9 a hand leverpivotally mounted upon the main frame 1 and including the usual curved arm 10 and a foot lever attachment 11, the lever being coning mechanism is lpositively `controlled ,by i u nected with the arm 8 by means of a chain "in vsuch position becoming self-locking as a toggle connection* between the coupling fforward,permitting the finger bar to swing mitted to rengage until the inger bar has. been lowered to a practically operative position. In order to insure full ethciency of thispart or' the mechanism, I provide means for locking the coupling frame against a downward movement until the nger bar` has reached a substantially horizontal position; the means including a link member 17 having its lower end pivotally connected with a bracket member 18 secured to the coupling frame, a sheave 13 being mounted in the bracket. The upper end of the link 17 is curved rearward and pivotally connected withthe upper end of a short swinging link 19 by means of a pin 20, having ay llaterally projecting head 21, the lower end.- of the link 19 being pivotally connectedf with the main frame 1 eccentric with the axis of the handlever 9.

22 represents a toggle controlling member having its rear end pivotally connected with the hand lever9 and its front end provided with a longitudinally disposed slot 23 that slidably receivesv the head 2l or" the pin 20, and 24 represents a retaining washer and pin that secure the associated parts in operativenelation. When the hand lever is turned rearward to raise the finger bar and coupling frame and during the initial movement thereo the axis of the connection between' the links 17 and y19 will move along the slot 23 until the coupling frame and finger bar 4have reached a predetermined angle, and then the toggle controlling member will swing the links 17 and 19 rearward until the hand lever 9 has reached its rearkmost position with the axis of the pivotal connection of the links 17 and 19 in rear o a `line drawn through the axis of link 17 uponthe coupling frame and the axis of the link 19 upon the main frame, the mechanism framed andmain frame land operative to secure the coupling frame in a raised position until the hand lever has been moved loutward and downward to an operative position, and when the finger bar has reached an operative position the member 23 will break the toggle lock and permit the coupling frame to descend, the toggle control-1 ling member 22 preventing any premature unlocking of the toggle mechanism until the@y handv lever has been moved forward to al predetermined angle, the position of the vthe structiire'shown herein for purposes of illustration, as it is understood that many '-65 minor changes'fmay'be made inthe construc- 'predeterminedposition'of adjustment, and a toggle controlling member pivotally mounted on said lever and engaging with said toggle mechanism.

2. In a mowing machine, a main frame, a

coupling frame pivotally connected therewith, a lever 'pivoted on said main frame and operatively `connected with said coupling frame, a toggle connection between said main frame and said coupling frame andoperativetto lock said coupling frame in a predeterminedposition of adjustment, and a slotted toggle controlling member pivotally mounted on said lever and engaging with said toggle mechanism.

3. In a mowing machine, a main frame, a coupling frame pivotally connected therewith, a lever pivoted on said main frame and operatively connected with said coupling frame, a toggle member having its lower end pivotally connected with said coupling frame, a second toggle member having one end pivoted upon said main frame and its opposite end pivotally connected with the upper end of said first toggle member, and a toggle controlling member pivotally mounted on said lever and having the upper en'ds of said toggle members slidable thereon.

4. In a mowing machine, a main iframe,1`05

a coupling frame pivotally connected therewith, a lever pivoted von said main frame and operatively connected with said coupling frame, a toggle member having its lower end pivotally connected with said cou- 51110 pling frame, a second toggle member having one end pivoted upon said main frame and its opposite end pivotally connected with the upper end of said first toggle member, and

a slotted toggle controlling member pivoted w15 upon said lever and receiving the upper ends of said toggle members in a slidable manner.

5. Iii a mowing machine, a main frame, a coupling frame pivotally connected therewith, a lever pivoted on said main trameF and operatively connected with said coupling frame, a toggle connection between said main frame and said coupling frame and operative to lock said coupling frame in a predetermined position of adjustmentf and a toggle controlling member pivotally mounted on said lever and engaging with said toggle mechanism and operative to move said toggle mechanism into locking position H when saidcoupling frame has reached a predetermined position of adjustment as controlled by said lever moving in one direction. 6. In a mowing machine, a main frame, a coupling frame pivotally connected there- With, a lever pivoted on said main frame and operatively connected With said eouplin frame, a toggle connection between sai main frame and said coupling frame and operatve to lock said coupling frame in a predetermined position of adjustment, and a toggle controlling member pivotally mounted on said lever and engaging With said toggle mechanism operative to move said toggle mechanism into locking position When said Vframe is in a predetermined coupling frame has reached a predetermined position of adjustment during movement of said lever in one directionand to break said toggle mechanism when said osition of adjustment during movement o said lever in an opposite direction. y

Intestimony whereof I afx my signature, in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

ALBERT Gninvns. 4

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

